Seattle Undercover Detective Charged With DUI After Cruiser Crash

Story by kirotv.com On Oct 28, 2011

MUKILTEO, Wash. --

A Seattle police detective was charged with DUI after he was involved in a crash in Mukilteo that led to the discovery of open and empty bottles alcohol inside his unmarked police vehicle, an arrest report said.

The Mukilteo Police Department said officers responded to a report of a crash involving four vehicles near the intersection of Chennault Beach Road and the Mukilteo Speedway at 1:20 p.m. Thursday.

Police said a SUV driving northbound on the Mukilteo Speedway struck the rear of a vehicle stopped at a light, pushing it into two other stopped vehicles.

The driver of the SUV that struck the other vehicles driver identified himself as a Seattle Police Department employee, police said.

The arrest report obtained by KIRO 7 Eyewitness News said the longtime detective had slow, slurred speech and appeared aloof and unable to focus.

When asked who the Blue GM Yukon SUV was registered to he told police, "I'm undercover." "I'm with the narc unit," the report said.

The driver, a 46-year-old man, declined to perform field sobriety tests, telling officers, "no way," the report said. He also declined to take a portable breath test at the scene, a Mukilteo police news release said. He was arrested and taken to the Mukilteo Police Department, where he also declined to take a breath test.

Mukilteo police said the unmarked police vehicle the officer was driving was assigned to him. Inside, police found three handguns, his detective badge, ammunition a nearly empty bottle of Ketel One vodka and and at least six small empty bottles of 100-proof peppermint Schnapps, the arrest document said.

According to the report, the detective told the arresting officers, "I'm an idiot." I screwed up."

It is not known whether the detective was on duty at the time of the crash.

Aid units from the Mukilteo Fire Department responded to treat three other drivers for neck pain.

Seattle police said the detective is a 23-year veteran with the department.

SPD detective charged with DUI after Mukilteo crash

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